Quest Explained Wiki

Map questLevel 8

Fire and Brimstone

Quest giver Broenruht in Lower La Noscea

Summary and analysis

SummaryAnalysis

Some miners shrug off the gas, but Broenruht writes the letters home when one chokes to death. Since the Calamity, a disaster five years ago, metal prices are high enough to make them rich or dead. Broenruht means 'Brown Smoke' in old Roegadyn.

Meet Broenruht and the Blind Iron Mines, later the kobolds' hideout.

After the CalamityBeast tribes and primalsTrade and the city

What happens, step by step

  1. Brimstone has blocked Broenruht out of Blind Iron Mines.
  2. Digging stoppages may endanger the miners' livelihoods, but a surfeit of sulphurous gas endangers their very lives. Only clear earth crystals can plug the gas plumes and decontaminate the shafts.
  3. The clear earth crystals worked like a charm on the gas plumes. Let Broenruht know that the mines are no longer brimming with brimstone.
  4. The demand for ore has risen sharply due to rebuilding efforts in the wake of the Calamity. Many miners would not think twice about risking their health for the healthy profits in store, but owing to your deeds, none will have to.
Where it leads

Next in the play order: Loam Maintenance. Gurcant sends you to Rhotwyda in the orchard, sure she knows where blackloam is found.

Worth knowing

LorePirates and the AdmiralAfter the CalamityTrade and the city

The rebuilding after the Calamity five years ago keeps ore and Skylift cargo in demand. The main story explains the Calamity at the Admiral's banquet and the meeting after it (MSQ #21-#22).

Lore

In the ancient Roegadyn language, Broenruht means 'Brown Smoke'. It is a fitting name for the boss of a mine full of gas.

Lore

In idle talk, Broenruht says the mine has given up all its ore. Naldiq & Vymelli's has signed a deal for all of it. Broenruht says it 'should make for some sturdy ships'.

In-game text

The Encyclopaedia Eorzea explains the name Blind Iron Mines. In their busiest days, the air inside was so full of dust that it could 'rob men of their sight'.

In-game textThe Arcanist’s art

The item text of the Clear Earth Crystal describes pure earth aether. It has 'not a single trace' of any of the other five elements.

Title reference

The title borrows 'fire and brimstone' from the Bible. Brimstone is an old word for sulphur. But here the brimstone is real: it is the gas in the mines.

Characters

Who they are, and what they do in this quest.

Broenruht

Broenruht is shut out of Blind Iron Mines: the miners struck brimstone (sulphur), and its rotten-egg gas fills the shafts.

Some miners shrug off the gas, but Broenruht writes the letters home when one chokes to death. Since the Calamity, a disaster five years ago, metal prices are high enough to make them rich or dead. Broenruht means 'Brown Smoke' in old Roegadyn.

Other languages

The game was written in Japanese and rewritten, not just translated, for each language. Here is what the other versions say, next to the English.

Japanese霞む坑道
‘The Hazy Mine Shaft’
FrenchUne quête qui sent le soufre
‘A Quest That Smells of Sulphur’
GermanGestank im Stollen
‘Stench in the Tunnel’
English, Broenruht

Well, this time we've dug ourselves into a hole well and truly!

French

Tu comptes entrer dans les mines ?

‘Are you planning to go into the mines?’

German

Bist du auf dem Weg in die Mine?

‘Are you on your way into the mine?’

Japanese

あんた、坑道の中へ行くつもりか?

‘You there, planning to go into the mine?’

English punningly groans they have dug themselves into a hole; French asks if you are going into the mines.

English punningly groans they have dug themselves into a hole; German asks if you are headed into the mine.

English punningly groans they have dug themselves into a hole; Japanese asks if you are going into the mine.

English, Broenruht

You'll need this clear earth crystal if you're to restore the earth and plug the leak properly.

German

Am effektivsten wäre es, dem Stollen die durch die Grabung verloren gegangene Erdessenz zurückzuführen.

‘The most effective thing would be to return to the tunnel the earth essence that was lost through the digging.’

Japanese

原因は、おそらく土属性の力が失われてるせいだ。

‘The cause is probably that the earth-aspected power has been lost.’

German explains the cause: digging drained the tunnel's earth essence. English only says to restore the earth.

Japanese names the likely cause, a loss of earth-element power; English only says to restore the earth.

English, Broenruht

For many of the miners, a bit of brimstone is nothing to write home about, but I'm the one who has to write the letters when the gluttons choke to death down there.

Japanese

この坑道で掘ってると、ちょくちょく硫黄ガスが発生するんだが、ビビってちゃ、稼げやしねえ。

‘Dig in this tunnel and you hit sulphur gas every so often, but if you get spooked, you'll never make any money.’

Broenruht is a daredevil who shrugs off gas leaks and means to dig the mine dry. The English Broenruht fears for his miners.

English, Broenruht

For many of the miners, a bit of brimstone is nothing to write home about, but I'm the one who has to write the letters when the gluttons choke to death down there.

French

Ça me fait perdre du temps et de l'argent.

‘It makes me lose time and money.’

German

Dort unten kann es ab und zu schon mal schlecht riechen, aber wer sich davon abschrecken lässt, ist für die Arbeit unter Tage nicht geschaffen.

‘Down there it can smell bad now and then, but whoever lets that scare them off isn't cut out for working underground.’

English says he writes the letters when miners choke to death; French says the gas costs him time and money.

English says miners choke to death down there; German says anyone put off by the smell is not cut out for mining.

English, Broenruht

The prices metals command in the wake of the Calamity will make us either rich or dead.

French

C'est que la demande en minerai de fer a beaucoup augmenté depuis le septième fléau, une belle aubaine pour gagner des gils.

‘The thing is, demand for iron ore has risen a lot since the seventh scourge, a fine windfall for earning gil.’

German

Egal was kommt, ich werde die Mine weiter betreiben, bis sie keinen einzigen Klumpen Erz mehr preisgibt.

‘Whatever comes, I will keep working the mine until it gives up not a single lump of ore more.’

Japanese

俺は、何があろうと、この坑道が枯れるまで掘りつくすつもりさ。

‘Whatever happens, I mean to dig this mine out until it runs dry.’

French

En tout cas, moi, j'ai bien l'intention d'exploiter ce filon jusqu'à la dernière pépite.

‘In any case, I fully intend to work this vein down to the last nugget.’

English says metal prices will make them rich or dead; French calls the demand a fine chance to earn gil.

English says metal prices will make them rich or dead; German vows to mine until no ore is left.

English says metal prices will make them rich or dead; Japanese vows to dig until the mine runs dry.

French has him vow to mine the vein to the last nugget; English jokes they will end up rich or dead.

Full dialogue

Read all 7 lines, with the notes

Highlighted words have a note: click one to open it under the line.

Accepting the quest

Broenruht

Struck brimstone while shoveling through the mines, and now the rocks are rife with the reek of rotten eggs. The gas grew to be too much to bear.

Broenruht

You'll need this clear earth crystal if you're to restore the earth and plug the leak properly.

Broenruht

Just mind the syrphid clouds brought on by the brimstone.

Use clear earth crystals on the gas plumes.

Report to Broenruht.

Broenruht

Now that's a breath of fresh air!

Broenruht

For many of the miners, a bit of brimstone is nothing to write home about, but I'm the one who has to write the letters when the gluttons choke to death down there.

Broenruht

The prices metals command in the wake of the Calamity will make us either rich or dead.

Later in the storyspoilers
Same place: Fool Me Once
The Blind Iron Mines: Broenruht, whose mine you clear of gas, guides you through them in Kobolds Ahoy, and the kobolds hide there in Kobolds and Indigents and Bait and Swat.

Where it sits in the play order, on Quest Order Wiki